Bloom – De-mystifying Menopause
Bloom Demistifying Menopause, a support group for women in a critical stage of life called Menopause / Perimenopause, held their first in person community meet
It was called ‘Melange’ and was held on September 28, 2024, at The Woods, Gurugram. Explaining the purpose of the community, Malvika Singal, founder of Bloom, stated “Bloom is a safe trusted community of women, for women where they can open up and talk, discuss and learn from healthcare professionals and each other! A space that every woman deserves and needs to learn to manage this phase of perimenopause and menopause in the best way possible with the right support and information.”
Melange was the first in-person meet conducted in association with their learning partner, A Brighter Life, where the members of the community, popularly referred to as Bloom Divas got the opportunity to meet esteemed healthcare professionals, wellness experts and also share their menopause story with each other, enabling them to get best practices on handling this stage. Bloom proudly unveiled its website https://www.bloomdemystifyingmenopause.org/ which was met with a roaring applause from the bloom divas.
The afternoon started with a panel discussion of the doctors talking about issues faced during menopause. The panel consisted of Dr. Suboohi Rizvi, Dr. Aarti Khanna Nagpal, Dr. Beena Bansal and Dr. Amita Puri. The doctors spoke about menopause as a stage in every woman’s life which is not a ‘disease’. The doctors enlightened the group on what to expect in this stage of life, how to identify symptoms that are menopausal and those that could be indicative of other diseases or conditions that may require other interventions.
Menopause decoded
Dr. Suboohi Rizvi, Obstetrician & Gynaecologist, Director – Mother’s Clinic and Ultrasound Centre said that, “The average age for menopause is 45 to 46 years. If you are experiencing menopause below 40 years then it is pre-mature menopause and if it happens after the age of 55 then it is delayed menopause.” She also said that from a gynecologist’s point of view the patients experience hot flushes and other symptoms.
She stated that, “You cannot ignore any symptom thinking it is perimenopausal or menopausal. Menopause is no menstruation for 12 months.” She mentioned that even if a woman gets a drop of blood after 12 months, she should immediately consult a gynecologist, rather than taking it too casually.
Tests during menopause
Dr. Aarti Khanna Nagpal, Pathologist, MNAMS. Head – Biochemistry and Hematology, Pathkind National Reference Lab stated that, “There are certain tests available for menopause. Basically as you age the LH (Luteinizing Hormone) and the FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) start increasing. Hence, oestrogen starts decreasing. Due to that, menopause sets in.” She also said that a blood sample can be collected to check the FSH and LH levels.
She also went on to mention that there are other tests available for menopause. “The oestrogen which has reduced in the menopausal phase, also helps in maintaining the bone health, arteries and heart.” According to her, it is important to check the bone density as in menopause, osteoporosis can be a very big risk factor. Mammograms should also be conducted. She concluded by saying that it is very essential that one gets their lipid profile, blood sugar, blood pressure, a basic CBC, all checked during this phase.
MHT – Menopausal hormone therapy
Dr. Beena Bansal, Endocrinologist, Director & Founder, Door to Care, CareOps Solutions, President of Saksham stated that, “As we know there are a lot of hormones in our body. The term we use is menopausal hormone therapy or MHT, which is specifically therapy for menopause.” She also said menopause is a big change in a woman’s life.
She also mentioned that, “Women with troubling hot flushes, night sweats, sleep disorders – they can be treated with MHT. There is a lot of fear around MHT in general.” She also said that just as a clarification, there are certain risks, but the risks are not that high and it is very safe and effective.
Mental health impact
Dr. Amita Puri, Psychologist, Director, Optimus Centre for Well-being, Citizen Hospital and Deaddiction Centre said that, “Our mind and body is correlated very strongly and hence if the mind is not well, so is the body. The state of the body also impacts the mind equally.” She also stated that when a lady is going through a lot of physical issues and also they are in pain, getting irritable and anxious, facing depression, they are not even aware at times as to why this is happening to them.
She went on to say that relationship and work issues also come up. The personal and professional lives of certain women get affected as they don’t have a tab on their emotions. “Mental health is impacted vastly during such a phase. This is the time they need to talk to psychotherapists,” she also stated.
Appreciating the Melange platform, Dr. Suboohi Rizvi stated, “Melange not only highlighted the specific conditions for which women should be aware of in her 40s and above but came up with the management plans for a healthy and productive life.” Dr. Amita Puri, highlighted the importance of mental health during this phase and said, “The community meet held by Bloom, Demystifying Menopause' was like a master class on what to expect when your hormones decide to host a party! From gynaecologists to endocrinologists, we learned that hot flashes aren't just 'inner power surges,' but there's science to back them up too”
This was followed by a session focusing on – ‘Embrace the change the natural way’ by their wellness partner, Jivisa. This gave women various alternatives of combating, anxiety, insomnia, skin issues in a natural way through products that have their roots in nature. The event witnessed a diverse and holistic view about menopause. The core team members, Konika Chaddha, Yoshita Swarup Sharma and Deepti Rishi, talked about how Bloom has helped them break the myths related to menopause and make positive changes to their day to day routine that has enabled them to live healthier and more active lives.
Talking about Melange, Bloom Diva, Prachi Monga stated, “Menopause is a natural phase that comes with its challenges—physically, emotionally, and mentally. By offering support, understanding, and compassion, Bloom has created a community where every woman feels heard and gets the encouragement needed to embrace this new chapter in life with grace and resilience.” The Bloom divas walked away with gift hampers related to women’s health from Sirona (Hygiene Partner) and Jivisa(Wellness Partner), discounts from PathKind Labs. They also got an opportunity to indulge in some retail therapy with jewellery from Kicky & Perky (Style Statement Partner).
Summing up Melange, Bloom’s founder, Malvika Singal told the group that this is only the beginning of a journey to support women through this stage, there will be a lot more to watch out for in the coming months from Bloom Demystifying Menopause.
